Artificial bait



May 18, 1943 M. P. JANISCH ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed June 9, 1941MaximiZZz'an P Jam'sch INVENTOR.

AT TORNEK Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial baits or fish lures.

An object .of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedartificial bait of the spoon type having a Weedless hook.

Another object is to provide an improved means for effectivelypreventing a fish hook from catching on weeds, logs, or otherobstructions in the water.

Other more specific objects and advantages will appear from thefollowing description of an artificial bait constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an artificial bait embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a rear end view.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 ofFig. 2.

The artificial bait selected for illustration comprises a spoon typemetal body portion H] of conventional contour having a single hookrigidly attached thereto.

In this instance the shank l2 of the hook extends lengthwise of the bodyportion midway between the side edges thereof and is provided at its endwith an eye l3 fixed against the concave face of the body portion byappropriate means, such as an eyelet or rivet Id. The shank [2 extendsrearwardly beyond the body portion through an opening l5 therein andbeneath an integral strap l6 which provides additional anchoragetherefor.

The hook is preferably so disposed that the point I1 and barb l8 thereofare spaced a maximum distance from the concave face of the body portionat the rear thereof and substantially equidistant from the side edges ofthe body portion. The point of the hook is thus in most effective fishengaging position. The shank l2 of the hook is preferably fashioned toclosely follow the contour of the body position so as to afford minimumlodgement for weeds and the like.

The hook is rendered Weedless by a guard of novel construction whichwill now be described. The guard shown comprises a length I9 ofresilient material, such for instance as Swedish spring steel, securelyfixed at one end by suitable means, such as an eyelet anchored in theforward end of the body portion l0. Incidentally the eyelet 20 providesa convenient means for attaching a fish line to the body portion. Theuard l9 extends rearwardly toward the point I! of the hook and ispreferably bent to provide a protective shoulder 2| immediately inadvance of the point.

Rearwardly of the shoulder 2| the guard is fashioned to coact with thehook in such manner as to resist lateral displacement of the shoulder 2|from its normal point protecting position and yet permit the shoulder 2|to be depressed to expose the point of the hook when struck by a fish.Although this may be accomplished in various ways, the guard formationshown has proven satisfactory. In this instance the rear end of theguard is slotted to provide two rearwardly extended guide fingers 22disposed at opposite sides of the body of the hook and coactingtherewith to retain the guard against lateral displacement. Also thebase 23 of the slot is adapted to bear against the under side of thepointed end of the hook to further resist lateral displacement of theguard and to accurately position the shoulder 2| in front of the pointH, the base of the slot being yieldably retained in that position by theresilient tension in the body of the guard.

It will of course be understood that the uard is normally in position toprotect the point of the hook'from weeds, logs and other obstructions,during forward advance of the lure at normal speed, but that it isreadily depressed under the bite of a fish to expose the point to thefish. It will also be noted that the fingers 22 are of such'length as toprovide a guide for the guard in all depressed positions thereof Thebody of the guard I9 is sufiiciently flexible so that it may be bowed ina manner to permit disengagement and re-engagement of the slottedportion thereof from and with the hook. This is advantageousparticularly when it is desired to attach strips of bacon rind or otherlures to the hook. When thus disengaged, the body of the guard may bebent in one direction or the other to increase or decrease the resilienttension I therein and thereby increase or decrease at will the outwardpressure thereof against the under side of the pointed end of the hook,thereby to better adapt the same for use in light or heavy weeds.

Various change may be made in the embodiment of the inventionhereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificingthe advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. An artificial bait comprising a spoon like body portion, a fish hookcarried thereby, said hook having a forwardly projecting point offsetfrom said body portion adjacent the rear thereof, and a depressable weedguard having one end attached to said body portion and another por tionnormally disposed adjacent said point to protect the latter from. weedsand the like, said last named portion having guide fingerslongitudinally extended into coactlng relation with the body of saidhook to prevent lateral displacement thereof relative to said hook whensaid last 10 named portion is depressed from said point.

2. In an artificial bait the combination of a fish hook having aforwardly directed point, a depressable weed guard having a shoulderportion normally disposed immediately in advance of said point toprotect the same from Weeds and the like, and a slotted portion at theend of said guard longitudinally extended into coacting relation withthe body of said hook to prevent lateral displacement thereof relativeto said hook when said guard is depressed from said point.

MAXIMIILIAN P. JANISCH.

